Artificial limb



Feb. 20, 1951 Filed Nov. 2, 1949 H. SCHULTZ ARTIFICIAL LIMB 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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Patented Feb. 20, 1 951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTIFICIAL LIMB Herman Schultz, Hawarden, Iowa Application November 2, 1949, Serial N 0. 125,005

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in artificial limbs for use where the leg has been amputated below the knee.

An important object of the invention is to provide an artificial limb which may be worn with comfort and ease and having a lower leg, foot and toe action closely simulating the natural movements of the human leg and foot and which will lend itself in a high degree to the many uses of the natural leg, foot and ankle when walking, running and the like, thus replacing in a most efficient manner the missing limb.

A further object of the invention is to provide means connecting the foot portion of the artificial limb to the thigh of the wearer for automatically controlling the action of the foot in a manner simulating the normal action of a natural leg.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efiicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view with parts shown in section and showing the artificial limb in its standing position.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the artificial limb in a sitting position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary group perspective view of the knee joint.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 5--5 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on a line 6i'i of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates an adjustable leather band secured to the thigh of a person by lacing B and to the outer opposite sides of which are suitably secured the upper ends of a pair of upper metal straps 1 which project downwardly below the band 5.

A pair of lower metal straps 8 are pivoted at their upper ends to the lower ends of upper straps l by means of pivot pins 9 and which are positioned coaxially with the knee joint of a persons leg to which the upper thigh band 5 is secured. A lower leather socket or band It is secured to upper band 5 by a pair of adjustable leather straps II at each side of the leg to hold the lower socket or band It on the calf portion of the leg.

A solid lower leg portion H is secured to the lower ends of lower straps 8 by rivets or the like 12, the lower end of leg portion l I being rounded as shown at I3 for working in a complementary shaped socket M of a solid foot portion [5. The lower leg portion l l is connected to the foot portion [5 by means of a pivot pin l6 which forms: an ankle joint for the foot. A plate i1 is secured to the upper portion of one lower strap 8 by a pivot pin I8 immediately below the pivot pin or knee joint 9, plate I! having a pivotal movement on pin 18. A link 19 is pivoted at its upper end to the lower portion of upper strap i above the joint 9 and is pivoted at its lower end to the upper forward portion of plate ll in an eccentric position with respect to the axis of the plate.

A front rod 20 is pivoted at its upper end to the lower front portion of plate H and a rear rod 2| is pivoted at its upper end to the lower rear portion of plate H. The lower end of rod 20 is pivoted to a forwardly projecting arm 22 of aU-shaped plate 23 secured to foot portion 5 at ankle joint l6 and the lower end of rod 2! is pivoted to a rearwardly extending arm 2 3 also carried by plate 23.

The front lower edge of upper strap isprovided with a stop shoulder 25 and the front upper edge of strap 8 is provided with a similar stop shoulder 26 which abuts stop shoulder to limit forward swinging movement of strap 8 when the latter reaches its perpendicular position.

A solid toe block 21 is connected to the front end of foot portion [5 by means of a flexible strap 28 positioned under the toe and foot ortions, the confronting ends of the foot and toe portions diverging upwardly as shown at 29 to permit bending of the foot portion relative to the toe when walking. A coiled spring 3!} is positioned between the foot and toe port-ions to hold the toe portion in its forwardly extended position.

The lower leg portion I l, foot portion l5 and toe portion 21 are encased in a flexible leather boot 3| and an upper cover or shield 32 encloses upper strap I and knee joint 9 and is secured to upper band 5 while a lower cover or shield 33 is secured to boot 3| to enclose lower strap 8 and rods 20 and 2|.

A coil spring 34 connects the lower front portion of plate I! to lower strap 8 to hold strap 8, and lower leg portion II in a perpendicular position and to swing the leg and foot forwardly when walking.

In the operation of the device spring 34 holds lower strap 8 perpendicular or in longitudinally aligned position with upper strap 1 against stops and 26, when walking or standing and when the leg swings rearwardly, foot block 15 will swing upwardly at the heel from the flexible connection 28 with toe block 21, in a manner similar to the bending of the foot at the toes. Spring 30 keeps the toe block in its extended normal 110- sition. I

When the person is sitting, upper strap 1 will swing to a horizontal position, as shown irrFig ure 3, and link [9 will turn plate I I to lower front rod 20 and raise rear rod 2! to hold foot 15. flat on the ground while the leg ll swings an ankle joint 16, The leather boot 31 yields to this movement and encloses the mechanism at the lower leg portion, as well as the foot and toe, to facilitate placing a sock and shoe thereon,

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to'those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An artificial limb comprising a pair of upper rigid leg straps and a pair of lower rigid leg straps positioned at opposite sides of a leg, means connecting the upper straps to the leg above the knee, a pivot at each side of the knee joint of the leg connecting each lower strap to an adjacent upper strap, a shin member connected to the lower ends of the lower straps, a foot mem her, an ankle joint pivotally connecting the foot member to the lower end of the shin member, a plate pivoted to one of the lower straps below the knee joint, front and rear rods connecting the plate to the ankle joint, and a link connected e'ccentrically to the plate and to one uppe strap to raise and lower the foot in accordance with the movement of the upper strap.

2. An artificial limb comprising a pair of upper rigid leg straps and a pair of lower rigid leg straps positioned at opposite sides of a leg, means connecting the upper straps to the leg above the knee, a pivot at each side of the knee joint of the leg connecting each lower strap to an adjacent upper strap, a shin member connected to the lower ends of the lower straps, a foot mem her, an ankle joint pivotally connecting the foot member to the lower end of the shin member, a plate pivoted to one of the lower straps below the knee joint, front and rear l'OdS'COHIIeQfilFIg: the plate to the ankle joint, a link connected eccen trically to the plate and to one upper strap to raise and lower the foot in accordance with the movement of the upper strap, and a boot covering the shin member and foot.

3. An artificial limb comprising a pair of upper rigid leg straps and a pair of lower rigid leg straps positioned at opposite sides of a leg, means connecting the upper straps to the leg above the knee, a pivot at each side of the knee joint of the leg connecting the lower straps to the upper straps, a lower leg member connected to the lower ends of the lower straps, a foot member, an ankle joint fixed to the foot member and pivotally connecting the lower end of the lower leg member thereto, arms projecting forwardly and rearwardly from the ankle joint at each side of the leg, 2. plate pivoted to one of the lower straps below. the knee joint, front and rear rods connecting. the plate. to the front and rear arms, and a link connected eccentrically at one end to the plate and connectedat its other end to one upper strap to raise and lower the foot in accordance with the movement of the upper straps.

I 4. An artificial limb comprising a pair of upper rigid leg straps and a pair of lower rigid leg straps positioned at opposite sides of a leg, means connecting the upper straps to a leg above the knee, a pivot at each side of the knee joint of the leg connecting the lower straps to the upper straps, a lower leg member connected to the lower straps, a foot member, a U-shaped ankle joint positioned under the foot member and pivoted at its upper ends to the lower leg member, arms projecting forwardly and 'rearwardly from the upper ends of the ankle joint, a plate rotatably carried by at least one of the lower straps at a point below the knee joint, 9, front rod connecting'the front arm of the ankle joint to the lower front portion of the plate,- arear rod connecting the rear arm of the ankle joint to the lower rear por tionof the plate, and a link connectedeccentrically at one end to the plate forwardly ofthe pivot of the plate and connected at its other end to one of the upper straps to raise and lower the foot in accordance with the movement of themper straps.

5. An artificial limb com-prisinga pair of upper rigid leg straps and a pair of lower rigid leg straps positioned at opposite sides of a leg, means connecting the upper straps to a leg above the knee,

a pivot at each side of the knee joint of the leg connecting the lower straps to the upper straps, a lower leg member connected to the lower straps, a foot member, a U-shaped ankle joint positioned under thefoot member and pivoted at its upper ends to the lower leg member, arms projecting forwardly and rearwardly from the upper ends of the ankle joint, a plate rotatably carried by at least one of the lower straps at a point below the knee joint, afront rod connecting the front arm of the ankle joint to the lower front portion of the plate, a rear rod connecting the rear arm of the ankle joint to the lower rear portion of the plate, a link connected eccentri cally at one end to the plate forwardly of the pivot of the plate and connected at its other end to one of the upper straps to raise and lower the foot in accordance with the movement of the upper straps, and spring means connecting the plate to a lower strap to hold the straps perpendicular with respect to the foot.

' HERMAN SCHULTZ.

No references cited. 

